Pine Marten duo - two kits out on the search for food

Once we'd arrived at the cottage there were the usual telltale signs of Pine Marten in the area - mammal trails abound coming from the surrounding shrubbery and across the garden.

There was also a large wooden stump in the garden which presumably had been used by previous guests to lure the Pine Marten in with food.

On dumping the mammoth amount of kit we'd brought with us in the cottage and unpacking the food, we immediately took to getting the area primed for, hopefully, Pine Marten visits later that evening. A mixture of natural honey, peanuts and raisins was the dinner provided. Oh, and the occasional egg.

On putting small amounts around the garden I was keen to see whether they used the forest behind the cottage as well. There's a small river running adjacent to the cottage's access track, and behind that is a beautiful primeval forest - perfect for camera trapping!